Oil leak forces 747 back to Germany

FRANKFURT, Germany — A New York-bound Boeing 747 operated by German airline Deutsche Lufthansa AG turned back in midflight yesterday after the pilot reported that one of the plane's four engines was leaking oil.

The airline said the plane, carrying 334 passengers from Frankfurt to New York, was over Greenland when the pilot made the decision to turn back, although the plane could have flown onward to New York's John F. Kennedy Airport on three engines.

Ann Curry, an NBC television reporter, was aboard and provided public “tweets” — brief, instant Internet updates via Twitter — on the plane's turnaround after it returned to Frankfurt International Airport. Lufthansa said the plane landed about 5 p.m.

Associated Press

Leonard Cohen collapses at show

MADRID, Spain — Veteran poet and performer Leonard Cohen collapsed yesterday onstage while on tour in eastern Spain, his music company said.

Cohen was released last night from a hospital after suffering from a stomach complaint, Doctor Music Concerts said in a statement.

Cohen, 75, was partway through his song “Bird on the Wire” in Valencia when he fainted, causing the band to stop playing and rush to his aid as the audience watched. The concert was stopped.

A video showing Cohen keeling over sideways has been placed on YouTube by a fan.

Associated Press

Nigeria offended by ‘District 9’ film

ABUJA, Nigeria — One of the summer's biggest blockbusters — a sci-fi morality tale about space aliens and apartheid — isn't welcome in Nigeria because of its portrayal of Nigerians as gangsters and cannibals, Nigeria's information minister said yesterday.

Information Minister Dora Akunyili has asked movie houses in Abuja, the capital, to stop screening “District 9” because the South Africa-based film makes Nigerians look bad.

Akunyili said she has asked Sony for an apology and wants it to edit out references to Nigeria and to the name of the main Nigerian gangster, Obesandjo, whose name closely resembles that of former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo.

Associated Press

3 men arrested in Iraq antiquities sting

BAGHDAD — Authorities in northern Iraq have arrested three men on charges of trying to traffic stolen antiquities, including the bust of a Sumerian king, a local army commander said yesterday.

The three were arrested in a sting operation after trying to sell one of the artifacts for $160,000 to an undercover intelligence officer of the Iraqi army's 12th Division in a village southwest of Kirkuk, Maj. Gen. Abdul Amir al-Zaidi told reporters.

The sting operation, which took place about two weeks ago, was set up based on intelligence from local residents, al-Zaidi said.

In total, the men had eight pieces from the Sumerian period, which dates from about 4000 B.C. to 2000 B.C., that they were trying to sell. A fourth man was being sought.